Two in Three (66%) Believe Alberta Floods Were a Symptom of Climate Change

6 January 2014

Toronto, ON – In June 2013, severe flooding displaced over 100,000 Albertans in what has been called the worst flooding in the province’s history. With damages estimated at over $5 billion dollars and the activation of 32 local states of emergency, Ipsos’ media partner, CTV News, has declared the Alberta Floods the 4th biggest news story in Canada in 2013.

While the causes of the massive flooding are likely complex, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CTV reveals that two thirds (66%) of Canadians ‘agree’ (19% strongly/47% somewhat) that ‘Alberta’s severe flooding this summer was a symptom of climate change’. In contrast, one in three (34%) ‘disagree’ (9% strongly/25% somewhat) that the flooding was a symptom of climate change.

Interestingly, Albertans are more evenly split on whether the flooding was a symptom of climate change, with 55% agreeing, and 45% disagreeing. Atlantic Canadians (81%) are most likely to agree that it was, followed by Quebecers (72%), those living in Ontario (66%), British Columbia (64%), Alberta (55%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (50%).